McManaman full of pride after RBC experience

AMHERST?- He didn't come home to Amherst with a Junior A hockey national championship under his belt but Scott McManaman can definitely take pride in what he and his teammates accomplished at the RBC Cup last week in Cornwall, Ontario.
The Weeks Crushers made it to the quarter-finals, eventually being brought down by the Camrose Kodiaks by a score of 3-0.
"The game was a lot closer than three nothing," McManaman said. "We missed an early penalty shot and one of their goals went off one of our players hands and into the net. If it weren't for a couple of bounces that went against us, the game could have gone our way."
Despite the bad bounces and the missed penalty shot, the Weeks Crusher's never said 'die.'
"I'd say that was our best game of the year," McManaman added. "We left it all on the ice there in that last game and that's what we wanted to do."
Camrose went into the game with an NHL drafted goaltender and a player expected to go in the first round of June's NHL draft.
"We knew Camrose was ranked first going into the game," McManaman said. "They were undefeated and we just wanted to put up a good game against them."
McManaman was also pleased with his own performance.
"I thought I played really well," he said. "I was able to keep the pace a step up from the way I play back home."
One of the most difficult parts of the tournament for McManaman was stepping of the ice for the last time as a junior player.
"It was really hard," McManaman said. "I was remembering all the memories I had through the years of playing hockey."
There were a lot of scouts at the tournament so this is probably not the end of the hockey road for McManaman. He attends St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish and hopes to play university hockey next year.
"We have our banquet Thursday night and I'll talk to my coach there to see what options are open for me next year."
The tournament helped McManaman gain knowledge as to the style of play he will play in the future.
"I think if I want to take my game to the next level, I wouldn't be a scoring player," McManaman said. "I'd have to play a defensive role during my first couple of years."
The tournament also helped him assess how players from across Canada play the game.
"The teams from out West were big and physical and the Ontario teams were more skilled," he said.
No matter what the future holds, McManaman arrived back in the Maritimes the day before yesterday and wants nothing more than a few days rest.
"It's been a long 11 days," he finished by saying.